ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. chip — for betting
  3. rest — what's left
  4. squash — the sport
  5. rest — what's left
  6. tube — the underground
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. rest — a break
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. chip — to eat
  16. saw — the tool
  17. tube — a container
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. squash — to crush
  21. saw — the tool
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — to bear
  24. trunk — of a car

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com